Generally, retail establishments currently allow a customer to shop for items or goods, place the items in a cart or basket, check-out and pay for items by using a traditional cashier who scans each item and then receives tender from the customer for payment of the items. Historically, tender or payment for the items or goods was in the form of cash or a check, or some form of credit, e.g., through use of a credit card. Use of such forms of tender raises security issues, as well, in practice may be cumbersome.
More recently, attempts of making the payment for goods or services automatic and secure through use of a customer's cell phone have been made. Typically, a customer account stored on a remote server has access to, or stored thereon, information to a form of payment associated with the customer. For example, information related to a credit card may be stored in the customer account. Once a customer order has been made, the customer's cell phone may be used to access the customer account and once the customer's identity has been verified, payment for the customer order may be made using the stored form of payment.
In some instances, it may be desirable for a customer to pay for another customer's order. For example, an employer may desire that an employee purchase goods or items for the employer, or a parent may allow a child or minor to purchase goods or items for themselves or for the parent. However, simply providing access to the customer account, or other form of payment without controls may not be desirable.
The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems identified above.